Aeroplane



Feb. 10, 1931. 1.. H. HEAFN-ER. JR 1,791,724 7 AEROPLANE Filed Jan. 29; 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 In venior A ttor-ney Feb. 10, 1931.

L. H. HEAFNER. JR

AEROPLANE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 29, 1950 II-I: IIIIIIZIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Inventor A tiomey L. H. HEAFNER, JR

AEROPLANE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 29, 1930 Inventor Attorney Feb. 10, 1931. L. H. HEAFNER. JR 1,

AEROPLANE Filed Jan. 29, 1930 s Sheets-Sheet 5 A ttorney Patented Feb. 10, 1931 umran s'rares PATENT oFFI cE LAWSON H. HEAFNER, JR., OF GROUSE, NORTH CAROLIIFA AEROPLANE Application filed. January 29,1930. Serial No. 424,330.

The present invention relates to an aeroplane and has for its prime object to provide novel propelling means which afiords eiiicient stabilization of the aeroplane while flying and effectively distributes the propelling action throughout the major portion of the length of the aeroplane. 3

Another very important object of the invention resides in the provision of an aeroplane of this nature which may be built strong and durable, and will be thoroughly reliable in operation.

'With the above and numerous other objects in view as will appear as the description proceeds, theinvention resides in certain novel features of construction, and in the combi nation and arrangement 4 of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawing: V

Figure l is a side elevation of an aeroplane embodying the features of my invention,

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof, I

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken substantially. on line 33 of Figure 2, Figures. 4, 5 and 6 are transverse sections taken substantially on the lines 44, 55 and 6-6 respectively of Figure 1,

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 77 of Figure 6,

Figure 8 is a perspectiveview of the tail of the aeroplane,

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 99 of Figure 4,

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 1010 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings in detail it will be seen that the numeral 5 denotes a fuselage in which is located the usual cockpit for the passengers and in which is also located a prime mover such as an internal combustion engine 6 from which extends shafts 7 and 7 forwardly and rearwardly respectively. Front and rear plates 8 and 8 are provided in the fuselage and from these plates extend tubular casings 9 and 9 respectively, the former extending forwardly from the plate 8 and the latter extending rearwardly from the plate 8.

A detail description of the casing 9 with gears 15 in the housings 11.

A pair of meshing pinions 16 are journaled 1n each spoke'12, the inner pinions 16-mesh with the gear 15 and the outer pinions' mesh with an annular internal gear 17 mounted on the inside of a frusto-conical shell 18 which tapers forwardly. Idler pinions 20 are j ournaled in the outer ends of the spokes 14 and mesh with the gear 17 Bracket arms 21 depend from the spokes 12 adapted to have control cables and the like extending through the lower ends thereof. J

The spokes 12 and 14 are connected by arcuatebrace portions 22. On the shells 18 there are disposed curvedfins 23. The spokes 12a of the other housing 11 have journaled therein a-single pinion in each denoted numeral 16a and these mesh with the respective gears 15am the res'pective ring'gears 17 It will therefore be seen that the front shell 18 rotates in one direction and the rear shell 18 rotates in the opposite direction. 1

Both of these shells taper forwardly so that the surfaces thereof merge into one another and into the surface 'of the head 10. The shells associated with the tubular casing 9' arethe same except that they and the rear heads taper rearwardly. To each side of each housing 11 there are a plurality of spokes 3O terminatingin gear housings 21 interconnected by arcuate braces 32 and idler gears 33 are journalled in these housings 31 and mesh with ring gears 34 on the inside of the shells 18 a'ndthe horizontal spokes are provided with arms 21 similar toarms 21.

As is illustrated in Figure 7 the casings 9 and 9' may be formed in sections interconnected by bolted flanges 35. The casings 9 and 9 and the gear housings and spokes associated therewith permit the gearing to be readily lubricated as will be quite apparent.

On the heads 10 and 10 are frames having rudders 41 and elevators 42 to assist in the manipulation of the plane in the air. A landing gear 43 is dependent from the fuselage 5 and .a running gear 44 is dependent from the rear frame 40. A wing 45 extends across the top of the fuselage 5 being supported by suitable struts 46.

It is thought that the construction, operation, utility and advantages of this invention will now be quite apparent to those skilled in this art without a more detailed description thereof.

The present embodiment ofthe invention has been disclosed in considerable detail merely for the purposes of exemplification since in actualpracticeit attains the features of advantage enumerated as. desirable in the statement.oftheinvention and the above description.

It-will beapparentthat changesin the details of construction, and in thecomb-ination .and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departingfrom the spirit 'or scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed or sacrificing: any of its advantages.

.Having thus described my invention, what I. claim asnew is:

.1. In. an aeroplane ofthe class described,

'a fuselage,--a tube extending longitudinally i from the fuselage, a shaft j'our-nalled in the tube, means for rotating the shaft, gear housings formed on the tube, gears .on the shaft in the housing,hollow-spokes radiating from .the housing, gearing in the-spokes, rotatable shells about the spokes havinginterior ring gears meshing with the gearing in the spokes.

2. In an aeroplane of the class described,

a. fuselage, a: tube extendinglongitudinally from thefuselage, a shaft j ournalled in: the

' tube,.means for rotating the-shaft,.gear housings formed on the tube, gears'on the shaft in the housing, hollowspokes'radiating from the housing, gearing in the spokes, rotatable :shells. about the spokes havlnginterior ring gears meshing with thegearing in thespokes,

other spokes radiating from the housing and havingidler pinions in the ends thereof mesh- :ing with the ring gear.

In an aeroplaneofthe class described,

afuselage, a tube extending longitudinally from the fuselage,- a. shaft-journalled'in the tube, means for rotating the shaft, gear housings formed on the tub-e,.gears on the-shaft -.1n the hous1ng,hollow-spokes rad-1at1ngfron1 the housing, gearing in thespokes: radiating from the housing, :gearing in the spokes, ro-

tatableshells about -the spokes having interlor'ring gears meshing withthegearing lIl lFhG'SPOlIGS, other spokes radiating from the housing'and having idler pin-ions in the ends thereof meshing with the .ring gear, other wspokes 1 radiating from the tube and tube, means for rotating the shaft, gear housings formed on the tube, gears on the shaft in the houslng, hollow spokes radiatlng from the housing, gearing in the spokes, rotatable shellsbaboutthe spokes. having interior ring gears meshing with the gearing in the spokes, other spokes radiating from the housing and having idler fpinions in the ends thereof meshing :with thering gear, said shells tapering outwardly from. the. fuselage, and curved fins on. the outside of. the shells.

5. In an aeroplane of the class described, a fuselage, a tube extending longitudinally from the fuselage,-.a shaft journalled in the tube, means for rotating the shaft, gear housings formed on the tube,..gears on the shaft in the housing, hollow spokes radiating from the housing, gearing in the spokes, rotatable shells about the spokes having: interior ring gears meshing with the gearing in the spokes,

and curved fins on the outside of the shell.

.6.-In an. aeroplane of the class described, a

fuselage, .a tube extending longitudinally .fromthe fuselage, ashaft journalled in the tube, means for rotating the shaft, gear housingsformed on .thetube, gears on the shaft in the housing, hollow spokes radiating from the housing, gearing in the spokes, rotatable shells about the spokes havinginterior ring gears meshing with the gearing: in the spokes, other spokes radiating from the housing and having idler pinions in the ends thereof-meshing with the ring. gear, and curved fins on the outside of the shell. I p

:In testimony whereofl afiix my signature.

.. L'AVVSON.- HEAFNER, J R. 

